


Don’t You Forget About Me

by always happier (penalteaze), dreamiesficfest



Series: Dear Dream - Dreamies Fic Fest (Second Wave) [10]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternative Universe - Actors, Alternative Universe - Small Town, Light Angst, M/M, Slow Burn, actor jaemin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-22
Updated: 2019-04-22
Packaged: 2020-01-24 00:21:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18560122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/penalteaze/pseuds/always%20happier, https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamiesficfest/pseuds/dreamiesficfest
Summary: Prompt Number: #DD111When famous actor Na Jaemin walks into the café he works at, Lee Jeno couldn’t care less about it. Jeno knows it’s not worth it to get involved with Na Jaemin, not when he’s just going to leave like everyone else. But still, Jaemin keeps returning and Jeno can feel himself falling.





	Don’t You Forget About Me

**Author's Note:**

> This definitely isn’t my best work, but I loved the prompt so much I just couldn’t let it go. Please keep in mind that I wrote this while being super stressed about exams and temporarily high on pain meds.  
> I tried my best with this and I hope the prompt-giver still likes it although the story kinda took on a life of its own.

Jeno meets him for the first time on a rainy afternoon in March.

The sky is so grey that he had to turn on the lights at noon, it’s cold and windy outside, the rain hasn’t stopped falling in days. A playlist with slow 80s songs is playing in the background while he’s staring outside, just _thinking_.

It’s two in the afternoon and as most of the customers of the small café are ladies in their mid-sixties who won’t come in until much later, he’s taking a break, sitting at one of the tables close to the shop window and stirring in his tea. It’s ironic really, how he sells coffee all day when there’s nothing he despises more in the world. He doesn’t even like the smell of it. It smells like failure.

He looks outside, the rain is still hitting the window, creating a strange sort of pattern on it. In front of the shop windows walks a young man, he has his hood pulled far into his face to protect himself from the rain, but is still drenched in it.

 _Tell me your troubles and doubts, Giving me everything inside and out_ , sings the deep voice from the radio when their eyes meet. A second later the stranger pushes open the door and the sound of the rain hitting the asphalt can be heard.

It makes Jeno think about all the inevitabilities in life, like the rain for example. It always comes when it wants and there’s nothing you can do about it.

“Hey,” the new customer says once the door falls shut behind him and the sound of the rain is drowned out by the music again. He pulls off the hood and shakes his curly brown hair, a few drops of water leaving it.

“Hello,” Jeno mumbles, smiling politely.

The stranger looks good. Really, really good. He smiles widely, showing off a row of perfectly white teeth. He runs a hand through his hair to get it out of his eyes which are still trained on Jeno. Dark brown and rimmed with the tiniest bit of eyeliner. He seems- familiar?

He doesn’t look away, not even when their eyes meet and Jeno can still feel his gaze on him when he finally snaps out of it and turns around to walk to the counter. “What can I do for you?” he asks, his voice a little strained.

“A coffee would be great,” the stranger says, a grin prominent on his face.

Jeno nods curtly and looks away right afterwards. He isn’t in the mood to hold a conversation with pretty strangers, no matter how brightly they might smile at him.

#

Jeno is still thinking about the stranger when he’s closing the shop. He doesn’t know why, he really doesn’t. They didn’t even talk much after the he had given him his impressive coffee order. Five shots of espresso, Jeno shudders at the thought. But something about him had been captivating and it wasn’t just his good looks.

He wonders why it even matters, why anything matters at all really, while he scrubs the last table clean when his phone rings, pulling him out of his useless thoughts.

He rejects Renjun’s call and turns off his phone instead. Guilt is weighing him down, making his anxiety even worse.

He knows that all of this is a self-fulfilling prophecy in the making. One day even Renjun will grow tired of calling him every day, being rejected most of them. One day even he will leave and Jeno will carry on rotting away in this tiny town with the same old people.

He feels lonely, but the thought of changing something scares him so much he can feel his body go stiff. Fear clenches his heart and makes it hard to breathe.

He shakes his head and goes back to cleaning up, he has to stop thinking like this.

#

The stranger comes back the next day. Jeno expected to never see him again, he knows most of his customers, at least at this time of year.

They live in a quiet seaside village, one that has a sandy beach which attracts tourists once the weather gets warmer, but now, in late March, it’s mainly people he’s known his whole life who are frequenting the café.

So he has to admit he’s surprised to see him return. Jeno had thought he’d be on the drive through or maybe a daytime tourist, but it doesn’t really matter, he supposes. It’s hard enough to keep the café running during off-season, so he’s thankful for every customer that comes in.

“It’s really nice here,” the stranger says, letting his eyes wander over the interior of the small café while waiting for Jeno to prepare his coffee.

The café is his mum’s whole pride, she spent hours on matching the colours of the light blue wallpaper to that of the darker blue pillows when she had first opened it. Jeno has to suppress an avalanche of feelings when thinking back to those times. It’s been years now.

“Really quiet, peaceful kind of,” he adds. Jeno doesn’t know why he’s trying to hold small talk. Especially not when Jeno has given him nothing but a cold but polite smile ever since he walked into the shop yesterday.

“Thanks,” he nods, hands reaching for one of the paper cups to start preparing the coffee. He doesn’t know why, but the presence of the stranger unsettles him.

“Is it your café?” the stranger asks curiously, his eyes now following Jeno’s hands that are preparing the coffee.

“Uh?” Jeno asks, looking up a bit confused. “Do I look like I’m at an age where I own a café?”

“Nah, not really,” he answers, his eyes scanning Jeno’s body before they land on his face again. Jeno feels uncomfortable.

“I thought so,” Jeno mumbles before starting the coffee machine. It’s quite loud, so he has to speak up for the next part. “So what brings you here? Holidays?” He doesn’t even care, if he’s being honest, but he knows it’s the polite thing to ask and his mum would kill him if they got a bad Yelp review.

“Uh, work actually,” he replies, making grabby hands for his coffee with the silliest smile on his face. “Thank you,” he mumbles before taking the first sip. “I’m not myself before I have my first coffee.”

Jeno tries to smile, but he isn’t sure if it’s showing on his face. He runs the stranger’s, _Na Jaemin’s_ card through the reader before giving it back to him. The name sounds familiar, he’s definitely heard it before.

“Work?” he asks, biting his tongue a second later. He doesn’t even _want_ to talk to Na Jaemin, why the hell is he keeping the conversation going?

“Yeah,” Na Jaemin nods after taking another sip, a small smile playing around the corners of his lips. “You might’ve heard about it, we’re filming a movie here for the next few weeks?”

 _Ah_. It makes sense all of a sudden. Of course someone that good looking would be an actor. It also explains why the name rings a bell, he must’ve seen him on TV before. “I see,” he mumbles, a lot shyer now. He doesn’t really get why, it shouldn’t be different than talking to any other normal customer, but somehow it is. “So how do you like it here so far? Isn’t it boring in comparison to the city?”

“Hmm,” he contemplates, tapping a finger against his lips. Jeno has to swallow hard, tearing his eyes away. Na Jaemin knows exactly what he’s doing and Jeno wants to punch him in the face for it. “Not really, it’s nice,” he smiles. “The people are really nice, too.”

“If you say so,” Jeno agrees. People are usually nicer to someone who’s famous, it’s just how the world goes.

“They’re handsome, too,” Na Jaemin adds with a wink and Jeno nearly drops the cup he’s picked up to busy his hands while talking to him.

“Ugh,” he lets out, sounding not very intelligent. “If- if you say so?”

Na Jaemin chuckles, his laughter flowing through the shop like a nice melody. “I say so,” he grins. “I gotta go now,” he explains after checking his watch. “But I’m sure I’ll see you soon- Jeno?” he asks after a glance at Jeno’s name tag.

“Sure,” Jeno mumbles in agreement.

He lets out a deep breath once the door falls close behind the stranger. _What the hell was that?_

#

At night in his bed he googles Na Jaemin. He doesn’t really know why, it’s not even like he cares particularly much, but still he finds himself searching for information.

He’s a child actor, Jeno finds out. That’s why he seemed familiar, too. He played in a few movies Jeno watched when he was still in primary school. He wonders what it’s like to be famous at six, wonders how hard it must’ve been to handle school, work and everything that comes with it.

There are some pictures in which he’s nearly unrecognizable. He’s so tiny, cheeks still full and hair jet black. The only thing that has stayed identical is his smile. 

Jeno reads about awards he’s gotten, films he starred in and somehow finds himself in a forum discussing the country’s young acting elite. Jaemin is one of them, as it seems.

_[jaemints] I think it’s funny how NJM always makes everyone feel like they know so much about him, with this smile he’s got going and all of his flirting and stuff, ya know? But in the end we don’t know anything about him, lol. The dude has been attending his premieres alone since he was nine, that’s so weird.._

_[najmn in reply to jaemints] Oh my god, I totally get what you’re trying to say there, he’s so fucking mysterious it makes him ten times hotter! When you really think about it we know absolutely_ nothing _about him.._

Jeno rolls his eyes and closes his browser. He feels like a stalker and he also wonders why anyone cares so much about whatever secret Na Jaemin might have.

#

“Good morning,” award winning actor Na Jaemin sing-songs while walking into the café.

It isn’t really the morning anymore, Jeno wants to protest, but he’s stunned into silence. The sun is finally out and it illuminates Na Jaemin from behind, giving his brown hair a golden sheen, making his tan skin glow and his smile sparkle even more.

Jeno can feel his heart rate pick up and wills himself to stop right away. Inwardly he slaps himself silly for even thinking about it.

“Hey,” he replies with a tight smile, thanking any higher power that might watch over him for the fact that they aren’t alone this time. There are quite a few other customers in the café, which means Jeno has no time to get lost in Na Jaemin’s sparkling eyes or dazzling smile.

“The usual?” he asks, when the actor is standing in front of him. He’s painfully aware of all of the eyes that are turned on them. Perhaps he’s the only person who isn’t star struck in this village.

“Yes pleeease,” he smiles. He never stops smiling, even when Jeno is being borderline rude. It doesn’t make sense.

“Sure,” Jeno nods and turns his eyes towards the coffee machine. He presses a few buttons and then waits for Na Jaemin’s coffee to be prepared.

“So, how are you doing today?“ he asks, his eyes scanning the room before landing on Jeno again. “It’s a lot busier.”

“It is,” Jeno agrees, “You just came in during quiet times the last two days.” He pushes the cup across the counter and takes Na Jaemin’s card in return, swiping it through the card reader like the days before.

“I see,” he comments, taking a sip of his coffee and letting out a content sigh. “Damn, this tastes so good, you’re doing a great job.”

“Thanks,” Jeno mumbles, his ears turning red. To be quite honest, he’s never tasted any of the coffee he’s selling, he doesn’t even know what good coffee is supposed to taste like. “I’m glad you like it.”

He realises then that Na Jaemin has successfully pulled him into a conversation once again, one he never wanted to have. He _likes_ keeping to himself, he _wants_ to keep meaningless small talk with strangers to a bare minimum and yet he finds himself talking to him once again.

“Ugh, I have to leave again, shooting starts soon,” Na Jaemin complains with a roll of his eyes. “I’ll come back tomorrow,” he says excitedly. “With more time!”

Jeno looks up, eyes wide. “Eh, sure?“ he asks, not really sure what else to say.

What in the world is Na Jaemin trying to achieve here? If Jeno didn’t know any better he’s say he’s _flirting_ with him.

“Have a nice day, Jeno,” Na Jaemin says, waving with one hand before leaving the shop.

Jeno doesn’t answer in time for him to hear and that’s probably a good thing as he has absolutely no idea of what he said later on.

#

“My manager keeps flirting with my stylist,” Na Jaemin says, stirring his coffee with a straw.

It’s quiet, no one else is in the café and Jeno isn’t sure if Na Jaemin picked lunch time intentionally this time to make sure they’re alone like the days before. He wonders why he’s even asking himself this, it’s not like it matters anyways. This is just another stuck up, super famous child star with a dazzling smile and even more dazzling eyes. No one special.

“Why are you telling me this?” he asks, slightly bemused. Because honestly, why is Na Jaemin telling him this?

“I don’t know,” he sighs, running a hand through his carefully styled hair. The stylist probably wouldn’t like that, Jeno thinks. “I just need someone to rant to if I’m being honest and you’re like the only person I talk to here.”

“Oh,” Jeno says looking up from the counter he’s been scrubbing clean while Na Jaemin has been stirring in his coffee, watching him. This is the first time he’s sat down, not leaving right after getting his coffee.

“I hope I’m not annoying you, but honestly, if you saw them you’d get it,” he rolls his eyes dramatically. “It’s so _obvious_ that they’re into each other, I don’t get what’s stopping them.”

“Well,” Jeno says, clearing his throat. Surprisingly he isn’t annoyed by Na Jaemin telling him this. “Some people need a little more time to figure stuff like that out.”

“Fair point,” Na Jaemin nods. “But I’ve had to watch Chanyeol and Baekhyun for over two years now, this has been going on for ages and I just want them to,” he claps his hands together a few times, “Get their shit together, you know?”

“Uh, I guess? My best friend and his boyfriend took ages to get together,” he sighs, thinking about Renjun who had complained nonstop for seven months about the freakishly good looking but absolutely rude neighbour of his. “But in the end they worked it out,” he smiles. “My advice would be to not get involved, that never ends well.”

Na Jaemin _pouts_ , he honest to god pouts and Jeno doesn’t know why but it does _something_ to him and holy shit does that feel weird. He hasn’t felt like that in years. “I know I shouldn’t, but I just want them to be happy.”

Jeno needs a few seconds to gather his thoughts after seeing the other pout, but eventually manages to say, “If it’s meant to be, they’ll make it work.”

Na Jaemin smiles, finally taking another sip of his coffee, seemingly done with just stirring in it. “You’re quite good at giving advice, you know that?”

Jeno feels himself blush and has to look away. “Thanks,” he says quietly. He has been told that before.

“Hey, I need to leave now,” Na Jaemin explains like the days before, “But I _really_ enjoyed talking to you.” He smiles a red-carpet-worthy smile before getting up. “We should do this again sometime.”

“Yeah, sure,” Jeno agrees, feeling his heartbeat speed up when Na Jaemin’s smile gets even wider.

“Great!” he answers, waving one last time before leaving the café and walking into the spring sunshine.

“Yeah, sure,” Jeno parrots, once he’s gone. What the hell has gotten into him? Since when does a simple fucking smile turn him into a giggly mess?

#

“Hey,” Jeno greets him this morning, the smile coming naturally all of a sudden. He doesn’t want to like Na Jaemin, but he’s making it awfully hard not to.

“Hey pretty,” Na Jaemin says, grinning when he sees Jeno flush an embarrassing shade of red. “How’s it going today?”

Jeno chuckles breathily, trying to get his face shade under control before he answers, “Great before you came in.”

Na Jaemin laughs and immediately bites his lip to stop himself. His eyes still turn into crescent moons and a breathy giggle escapes his lips. “That wasn’t very nice.”

“Well,” Jeno shrugs, already preparing Na Jaemin’s coffee, “I’m not very nice”

“Now that I can’t believe,” the actor says, sitting down at one of the many empty tables, watching Jeno’s every move once again.

“How would you know?” Jeno asks, looking up and meeting his eyes.

“I don’t,” Na Jaemin shrugs, “But you seem like a nice person.”

Jeno clears his throat. “Thanks, I guess?” he says quietly and then walks over to the table with Na Jaemin’s coffee in his hand. “Here you go.”

“Thank you, Jeno,” Na Jaemin says with the brightest smile ever and for some reason it feels weird when he says his name.

“You’re welcome,” he mumbles and is about to turn away and walk back to the counter when Na Jaemin reaches for the sleeve of his hoodie to stop him.

“I’m Jaemin by the way,” he explains, eyes twinkling in the early afternoon sunlight.

“I know?” Jeno replies a bit confused.

“You do?” Na Jaemin, or well, Jaemin, asks.

“Yes?” Jeno chuckles. “Did you expect me not to?”

Jaemin smiles bashfully, tugging at his ear. “I don’t know? You didn’t know the first time we met,” he shrugs.

“That’s true,” Jeno agrees, sitting down in the seat opposite of Jaemin’s because it seems weird to be standing next to him while they’re having a conversation. Are they even having a conversation? Jeno isn’t quite sure.

“Anyways,” Jaemin says, face lighting up when Jeno sits down with him. “How are you today? You seem a lot happier.”

“What?” Jeno stutters, his heart clenching in his chest. “How do you mean that?”

“Dunno, but you’re smiling a whole lot more, so I thought-”

“Yeah, maybe don’t think so much,” Jeno spits out, not really sure why he’s so offended by what Na Jaemin has said.

He’s trying so hard to be positive, happy or whatever else people want him to be and although he probably isn’t doing the best job at it most of the time, it’s still defeating to hear someone say he’s _looking a whole lot happier_.

“Oh, I-I’m sorry,” Jaemin says, heat rising into his cheeks. This must be the first time he’s actually caught off guard, he fidgets in his chair.

Jeno swallows hard and tries to relax. “Don’t be, there was no reason to snap at you, I’m sorry.”

“No, no, what I said was out of line, I apologise,” Jaemin says, leaning forward a bit before reaching for his coffee and just holding the cup.

Jeno sighs, so now he’s fucked it up once again, has embarrassed himself in front of a famous person who probably just wanted to be nice and has insulted a customer along the way. “It’s okay,” he mumbles shyly, not really able to look Jaemin in the eyes.

“Good,” he replies, letting out a shaky breath. “Let’s move on from that then, let me update you on the stylist and manager situation!”

“Oh, are there any news?”

“I mean, depends on what you call news, but I told Baek yesterday that he should get his shit together and just ask him out and well,” Jaemin wiggles his eyebrows, ”They’re going on a date today!”

Jeno grins, trying hard to put that awkward exchange behind them and think _positively_. “So you’re telling me I give great advice and then do the exact opposite of what I told you? I see.”

Jaemin throws his head back and laughs. “Guilty,” he admits, smile still on his face. He looks beautiful when he’s smiling like this, Jeno can’t really explain it, but he looks like a flower that’s starting to blossom. He cringes inwardly at that thought.

“Well, it seems to have worked so I guess it’s all good,” he chuckles, taking the salt shaker into his hands to busy them. It’s a nervous habit he’s tried to get rid of for a long time, but that is harder than it seems.

“I’ll keep you updated on them,” Jaemin grins. “Could be the love story of the century!” His phone gets a text notification and Jaemin checks it, his eyes darkening momentarily. “Sorry,” he sighs, “I need to leave.”

“Oh,” Jeno replies, he can’t help but feel a bit disappointed. Talking to Jaemin is- nice? Time passes quicker when he doesn’t have to wait around alone for someone to come inside and order a coffee. “I should get back to work anyways.”

“Did I keep you from working?” Jaemin asks, eyes big, reaching for Jeno’s hand on the table and placing his on top of it, pressing it gently. His hand is soft, really soft.

Jeno looks at Jaemin, then at their hands, then back at Jaemin. It takes at least three seconds for him to pull away and Jeno misses the warm touch instantly. “Uh, no it’s fine actually, don’t worry about it.”

“Are you sure?” Jaemin asks.

“Very,” Jeno chuckles, finally in control of his body again. It had momentarily stopped listening to his brain, totally shocked by Jaemin’s touch.

“Okay, good,” Jaemin nods. “I’ll be back tomorrow?”

“Alright.” Jeno can’t help but smile and return the wave Jaemin sends him this time. He watches him until he can’t be seen anymore and then finally returns to cleaning the tables.

#

“Hey um, do you know anything fun to do around here?” Jaemin asks the next day while Jeno is preparing his coffee. “I’ve kinda caught up on all my shows and there are only so many books you can read before you go crazy.” He throws Jeno a sheepish grin.

Jeno laughs and looks up from the counter. “So you’re bored by our village already?”

“Don’t say it like that,” he whines, pouting again. He’s too good at that, Jeno decides. “It’s nice here, really, just- quiet?”

“Yeah, I know what you mean, don’t worry.”

He’s lived here his entire life, he knows every person, every cobblestoned road, every pebble at the beach. Shops close at six and nothing much happens afterwards, it only gets lively for the short summer months and then the tourists bring nothing but noise and trash. Jeno wishes he could just leave like all of his friends, like Renjun or Mark, but he can’t and he’s accepted that a long time ago.

“There’s a little cinema, if you can even call it that,” he points outside. “It’s just down the road. Other than that, I don’t know, sometimes there are little markets in the next town, they’re quite nice.”

Jaemin’s eyes twinkle. “A cinema? What do they show?”

Jeno blows out some air and shrugs. “I haven’t been in a long time, but it’s usually some creepy black and white stuff,” he laughs and pushes the cup across the counter, reaching for the credit card in return. It has become somewhat of a routine in the past week.

“I like creepy black and white stuff,” Jaemin declares, chucking a pack of sugar into his coffee for the first time ever. “Wanna go with me?”

“Uh?”

“Let’s go to the cinema together,” Jaemin repeats proving that Jeno hadn’t just misheard the first time. “Only if you’re free of course! Are you?”

“Am I?”

“Are you free tonight?” Jaemin’s eyes are hopeful, he’s stepping from one leg onto the other in excitement.

“I should be,” Jeno mutters, still completely in shock.

“Great! Should we meet there? When do the films usually start?”

“At eight I think,” Jeno replies, fully on auto pilot now.

“Alright? So let’s meet there at half past seven? I’ll pay of course!” Jaemin suggests.

#

“That’s a date,” Renjun explains matter-of-factly when Jeno calls him during his lunch break.

Jeno doesn’t know why his best friend still picks up, if it were him, he’d have given up on himself a long time ago. But Renjun is Renjun and although he’s so far away, he still values friendship more than anything else in the world. Even when he had gotten his boyfriend and Jeno had been certain that he’d never hear another word of him, he’d stayed.

“Shut up,” Jeno complains.

“You called me to tell you this, and there you have it. He asked you out, it’s a date.”

“He’s just bored,” Jeno explains. “None of his cool actor friends are around so he’s just asked me because we’re the same age.”

“Yeah, sure Jen, keep telling yourself that, but it’s still a date.” Jeno can practically hear Renjun rolling his eyes. He’s been best friends with him for too long to not imagine the pained expression that is probably gracing his face right now.

“Injoon, he’s like, really fucking hot, he’s famous, he’s _super_ nice. The guy would never ask me out.” That’s kind of what has been running through Jeno’s head repeatedly ever since Jaemin has asked him to go to the movies. Na Jaemin, _the_ Na Jaemin.

He’s also not sure if he _wants_ Jaemin to ask him out. That would mean Jaemin likes him and would lead to a whole avalanche of problems.

In conclusion, he’s freaking out and he isn’t even sure if he has a reason to.

“So? It’s not like you’re all that ugly yourself either. Why wouldn’t he wanna go on a date with you?”

“Are you kidding?” Jeno asks, voice shrill. “Have you _seen_ him?”

“Yes, Jeno, I have. I don’t live behind the moon like certain other people do. But why does it matter what he looks like?”

“You don’t get it,” Jeno whines. “This is all so stupid, it makes no sense at all.”

“He said you’re a great person, he comes back again and again to talk to you and now he _invited_ you to go to the movies together? Literally what is not making sense, Jeno? The guy likes you.”

“But why would he like me?”

Renjun groans loudly, Jeno can hear him running his hand through his hair. “Because you’re a great guy, Jeno. He’s the lucky one when he gets to go on a date with you.”

“You’re just saying that because you’re my best friend.”

“Maybe, but maybe I also mean it,” Renjun says dryly. “So, do you like him then?”

“What?” Jeno croaks out. He did _not_ expect that question.

“Well, do you like him back?”

“I don’t know,” Jeno sighs after thinking about it for some time. “He’s really nice I guess, but I don’t even know him.” He isn’t sure if he _wants_ to like Na Jaemin, not when he knows that he’s going to leave after filming is done and is going to return to his nice famous people life, far far away from here.

“So you do like him but you aren’t sure you want to?” Renjun assesses calmly and Jeno’s eyes widen. How does Renjun do this all the time?

“I guess,” he mumbles.

“I get that,” Renjun replies gently. “But I still think you should just try to have a good time tonight. There’s nothing wrong with that, whatever happens happens. And just because you like him doesn’t mean anything has to happen between the two of you.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“Come on, Jeno, when am I not?”

#

“Hey,” Jaemin smiles a little breathlessly. “Sorry I’m late, work took longer than I expected it to, so I came here straight away.” He falls into the seat next to Jeno’s on the bench in front of the cinema.

“Oh, don’t worry, I haven’t been waiting long,” Jeno answers, looking up from his phone, eyebrows pulling into a frown. “You’re coming straight from filming? Have you eaten yet?”

“I had lunch,” Jaemin explains evasively.

“So no dinner yet?” Jeno follows up with a nod. “Let me buy you some then, they have quite good fries in the cinema.”

“But I was supposed to invite you,” Jaemin pouts, poking Jeno’s bicep with his index.

Jeno feels warm all over at the sight of him, his breath quickens a bit. Sometime between his call with Renjun and now he’s accepted that he _likes_ Jaemin and that perhaps this is actually a date and well, he doesn’t really mind it. He deserves to have some fun, too, even if it’s just for a few weeks. He can deal with the consequences of this stupid decision later on, when Jaemin has left again like everyone else.

“I pay for the food and you for the tickets? That way it’s more fair anyways,” he suggests and gets up, holding out a hand to pull Jaemin up from the bench.

“Deal,” Jaemin says and reaches for his hand, not letting go even after they’re both standing next to each other. His ears are tinted light pink and Jeno feels a weird sense of accomplishment. He’s the reason why Na Jaemin is blushing and for once he isn’t even blushing himself.

Holding Jaemin’s hand is nice. He knows from earlier that it’s soft and warm, but now that he’s actually holding it, feeling the pressure of it, realising how perfectly their hands slot together, that’s something totally different.

Jaemin doesn’t let go of his hand until Jeno has to pay for their food and Jeno doesn’t mind it one bit.

#

The movie is surprisingly good. Jaemin has watched it before and spoils the end for Jeno and the only other two people in the cinema about three minutes in, but it’s still a fun night.

They share some popcorn and whenever one of the characters says something particularly dumb, Jaemin leans close and repeats it in a stupid voice, his breath tickling Jeno’s neck. Jeno has to bite his lip hard on several occasions to stop himself from bursting out in laughter and Jaemin giggles happily every single time.

All in all, it’s probably the best night he’s had since Renjun returned to college after winter break.

“I’ll walk you home,” Jeno says when they’re standing in front of the cinema again. He doesn’t want the night to end yet, not when being with Jaemin feels like the sun is shining only for him, like his heart is growing with every minute he gets to spend with him.

It’s a scary feeling, in a way, liking someone so much that you want time to stop and never start running again. Jeno knows he’s setting himself up for heartbreak, but he doesn’t care, not when all of this feels so new, so exciting.

“Oh no, you don’t have to,” Jaemin explains immediately, raising his hands as if to stop him. “It’s not far.”

“I know,” Jeno chuckles. “But I want to, so-” he points at his bike, “Wanna ride on my bike with me? It’ll be faster.”

Jaemin considers it for a moment, then he smiles brilliantly wide. “Sure, but don’t let the village cop catch us.”

Jeno laughs, “Well, if it calms you down, I know for a fact that he goes to sleep at nine and the chances of him catching us are very low.”

“Good to know,” Jaemin mumbles before sitting down behind Jeno, looping his arms around his middle to hold on. Jeno can still feel Jaemin’s touch long after he’s gone to bed, staring at the ceiling because his mind just won’t stop _thinking_.

#

Jaemin doesn’t come in the next morning. As much as Jeno tries _not_ to freak out about it, it doesn’t really work. He’s already shattered two coffee cups and a third one will sure follow.

He tries to keep calm, think about it rationally, it’s only lunch time, so maybe he’ll come in later. Or maybe he just has a full schedule today.

At four in the afternoon he’s so jittery that it would probably be better to close the café early. Customers have to call for him multiple times for him to notice them and he hasn’t just destroyed a third, but also a fourth and a fifth cup.

He doesn’t want to panic, but he still does. He had probably the best night in his entire life yesterday and even if Jaemin didn’t enjoy it as much as he did, it would still be the polite thing to let him down gently and tell him about it.

Like this he’s running through their entire evening again and again, trying to figure out what he did wrong to not even deserve a “I’m not interested anymore” from Jaemin. He doesn’t figure it out though.

Jaemin seemed to enjoy it just as much as he did, he thanked Jeno again and again for the great evening and Jeno is pretty sure he would’ve gone in for a kiss, had Jeno not pulled him into a tight hug in panic.

When Jaemin still doesn’t come in the next day, Jeno sends an SOS text to Renjun, who calls immediately. After listening to Jeno’s story he says Na Jaemin is an asshole and if he doesn’t get in touch within the next day, Jeno should go to his hotel and confront him.

Jeno laughs at that, he’s probably the least confrontational person on the planet, the mere thought of asking Jaemin why the hell he isn’t contacting him sends a shiver down his spine. He’d rather _die_.

Even his mum notices something is wrong, which means Jeno must really be out of it. He manages to calm her down though and she drops it eventually. He’s glad, he really doesn’t need her to worry about him on top of everything else.

#

All the talk about confronting Na Jaemin turns out to be unnecessary as he walks into the café early the next morning. Jeno doesn’t know whether he should feel relieved or upset about it.

“Hey,” Jaemin mumbles, suppressing a yawn, his eyes trained on Jeno the entire time.

“Hi,” Jeno replies apprehensively. If Jaemin is there to tell him he doesn’t want to ever meet him again, he’d rather they’d just get it over with and he’d never have to think about Jaemin again.

“Sorry I kinda disappeared, I had to take care of some stuff back home,” he explains. He looks tired, pinching the bridge of his nose as if his head hurts and Jeno immediately feels guilty for being mad at him at all. “I would’ve texted you but I don’t have your number.”

“Oh, yeah,” Jeno mumbles. “Don’t worry about it, it’s fine.”

“Yeah, but it isn’t though, it was really shitty of me, I promise it won’t happen again.”

“It’s nothing,” Jeno shrugs and is surprised by how easily that lie leaves his lips. “I had a great time without you,” he winks.

Jaemin chuckles, looking much happier all of a sudden. “Is that so?” he asks with a teasing smile. “I’m sure it would’ve been better _with_ me.”

“If you say so,” Jeno grins. “You might have to prove that to me.”

Jaemin nods. “I will. I had a lot of fun Friday night, we should definitely do it again.”

“Yeah, I’d like that a lot,” Jeno agrees, pushing the cup over the counter as he always does. Their hands touch when Jaemin hands him his card.

“Are you free tonight?”

“Nah, but maybe tomorrow?” he asks, not really able to suppress a hopeful smile. So maybe Jaemin didn’t find him so horrible after all and that’s a reassuring thought. He feels calmer almost instantly.

“Sounds perfect,” Jaemin agrees, beaming.

#

“No, I told you before, stop calling me!” Jaemin whisper-yells into his phone. He’s pacing up and down the patio of the hotel and hasn’t seen Jeno yet. Jeno feels weird for snooping around, he should probably make himself known, but that would be just as awkward, so he lingers at the corner and watches Jaemin who’s visibly upset. Jeno’s heart clenches.

Jaemin listens to the person at the other end of the line. Jeno can’t see his face, but his shoulders are hunched and he keeps running his hand through his unstyled hair.

“I don’t owe you anything, you-,” a pause, “No! You listen to me now, I’ve had enough of this, I won’t do it so leave me the fuck alone.” His voice keeps rising and Jeno is sure even people inside the hotel will be able to hear him now.

If he’s being honest, it doesn’t come as a surprise to see this side of Jaemin now. If there’s one thing that Jeno has learned in his 21 years of living, it’s that no one is _always_ happy. And the people who want to make you believe they are, are usually the unhappiest. Of course Jaemin isn’t an exception to that rule, why should he be?

Maybe Jeno had just hoped he would be, had hoped so because Jaemin deserves it. Deserves to always be happy, to not have to worry about anything in the world. Maybe he had hoped that he worries enough for both of them.

“Fuck!” Jaemin yells and for a second it seems like he’s about to throw his phone away, but then he catches himself and lets it slip into his pocket. He turns around and Jeno freezes when their eyes meet.

“I’m sorry,” he stammers, heart dropping into his stomach. “I didn’t want to eavesdrop.” He doesn’t even want to imagine what Jaemin must think about him right now, how betrayed he must feel.

But Jaemin’s expression turns softer as soon as he sees him. “It’s okay, don’t worry.” He looks so tired again and so much younger. Jeno wants to hold him and tell him that everything’s going to be okay, but that probably wouldn’t be appreciated right now.

“I don’t want you to think I’m-” Jeno shakes his head. He’s never been this embarrassed in his life.

“Hey,” Jaemin smiles, coming closer until he’s standing right in front of Jeno. “I let you wait, no wonder you came looking.”

He’s right about that, Jeno had waited in front of the hotel for ten minutes before he had decided to check if Jaemin was ready.

“Still,” Jeno mumbles apologetically. “I shouldn’t have heard that, so I’m sorry about it.”

“It’s fine, Jeno, really,” Jaemin explains, taking his hand and holding it tightly. “Let’s just forget about it,” he says with a sigh.

#

“Can I ask you a question?” Jaemin asks hours later. They’re sitting on a bench close to the beach, watching the waves meet the shore before becoming one with the ocean again.

“Hmm?” Jeno asks, running his thumb over the back of Jaemin’s hand. They’ve been holding hands all night, confirming Renjun’s assessment of this being a second date. Jeno smiles at the thought of that, being on a date with Jaemin is nice.

“Why-” Jaemin hesitates, worrying his lip. “Why are you still in this tiny town when you could definitely be going to college somewhere right now?” he asks finally.

 _Ah_. Jeno knew this question would come eventually, it always does. He stays quiet for a while, watching the waves instead.

Jaemin fidgets in his seat, his knees knocking against Jeno’s in the process. “You don’t have to tell me.”

“It’s okay,” Jeno says eventually. “I’m just trying to think of an answer.”

“Oh.” Jeno can feel Jaemin’s eyes on him, but he keeps looking straight ahead.

“There are multiple reasons, I guess,” he begins. “My- my dad died right before I turned eighteen-”

“Oh Jeno, I’m so sorry.” Jaemin’s voice is gentle though the grip around his hand tightens.

“It’s okay,” Jeno mumbles, although it probably won’t ever be okay. “But yeah, my mum didn’t take it too well, so I decided to stay here and help her with the café while everyone else moved away for college,” he shrugs helplessly. “And now most of them will get their diploma soon and I guess I’ve- missed the point where I can get away from here?”

Jaemin takes the hand he’s been holding in both of his now, caressing it gently, just listening.

“And I guess I’m scared, too? I only know this town, who knows what happens when I move away?”

“I think you’d do great,” Jaemin says quietly, but his voice is firm.

“I’m not like you, you know,” Jeno says, shrugging.

“How am I?” Jaemin asks, watching him intently.

“I don’t know, you’re outgoing I guess? You have no trouble talking to people and yeah, that’s not me.”

“But why?”

“I guess it’s easier this way? You can’t get disappointed if you don’t let people in in the first place.” Jeno doesn’t know why it’s suddenly so easy to tell Jaemin, he’s never talked about this before and maybe that’s exactly the reason. Maybe he’s been waiting for someone to just _listen_ his entire life.

“That makes sense,” Jaemin explains, placing his head on Jeno’s shoulder and breathing slowly. It feels good, so good to be close to him. “But I don’t think that’s how life works, you know? I mean, yes you won’t get disappointed, but you’ll also prevent any chance of someone surprising you.”

Jeno looks straight ahead, not really sure what to say and so he keeps quiet, just listening to Jaemin’s deep voice so close to his ear.

“I’ve been disappointed by many people,” Jaemin says quietly, his voice quivering a bit, Jeno is sure he wouldn’t have noticed if he hadn’t been so close. “Many, many people actually,” he laughs dryly. “But just because some people suck ass doesn’t mean there aren’t equally as many great people out there.”

His head leaves Jeno’s shoulder to look at him instead. “I wouldn’t have met you with that mind-set, or well, we would’ve never talked. And I think you’re a pretty great person.”

Jeno feels his cheeks grow hot again, his eyes flicker between Jaemin’s eyes and his lips, both are so close. He smells like expensive cologne and coffee, Jeno realises he doesn’t despise the scent anymore.

“Thanks,” Jeno mumbles and then he feels Jaemin’s lips on his, kissing him softly, no rush behind it. His lips are chapped, but Jeno doesn’t mind, he returns the kiss, his free hand finding its way to Jaemin’s cheek, cupping it gently.

They break apart after a few seconds, neither of them wanting to go further right now.

Jaemin is blushing, his eyes still not leaving Jeno’s when he quietly says, “I hope that was okay.”

“It was more than okay,” Jeno replies just as quietly and he has to suppress a giggle when Jaemin smiles widely.

“Thank you for telling me, Jeno, it means a lot to me.”

“Thank you for listening,” he says, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth. No one apart from Renjun has listened to him in a long time and although his best friend gives great advice, something about the way Jaemin just _listens_ without rushing to find a solution is liberating.

“I’ll always listen,” Jaemin mumbles, hands cupping Jeno’s cheeks. “Whenever you need me to, I’ll listen.”

#

“How are you?” Jeno asks gently although the question is unnecessary, really. Jaemin looks like shit. He’s still pretty, but his eye bags are prominent even under the makeup and he just looks so _tired_.

“Not good,” Jaemin admits. Jeno adores that about him, how he isn’t afraid to say when he’s not okay. He wants to be like that as well someday, but isn’t sure he’ll ever get there.

Jeno checks his watch and decides to not care about the café for once. He turns the sign at the front door around so it reads _Closed_. “Let’s talk about it?”

“Okay,” Jaemin says, but Jeno figures out a few minutes later that Jaemin definitely won’t talk to him about it.

It’s the first time they’re in Jeno’s room and he doesn’t know how to feel about it. He hasn’t let anyone in for so long, always afraid of- he doesn’t even know of what. Exposing himself? Showing a side of himself that he usually hides behind a brick wall of indifference?

Jaemin looks at the pictures hanging on Jeno’s wall with a little smile, hugging himself and looking terribly lost in his pink hoodie. He doesn’t talk, though, and Jeno realises very fast that that won’t change in the next minutes.  
He feels a bit hurt, knowing that he told Jaemin _everything_ but Jaemin isn’t ready to do the same thing, but he knows that these things take time. He just wants to be there for him, wants to make him feel better.

“We’ll officially finish filming in a few days,” Jaemin announces without any warning a few minutes later, sitting down on Jeno’s bed next to him.

“Oh,” Jeno replies numbly. He has tried to ignore the fact that Jaemin will leave soon.

“I- kinda don’t want to leave.”

Jeno breathes in shakily before allowing himself to say, “I kinda don’t want you to leave, too.”

Jaemin chuckles dryly. “This sucks,“ he says finally, tugging at his hair.

“Yeah,” Jeno agrees. “But we knew this would happen, you’ll leave and that’s- okay.” It doesn’t feel okay, not at all. He tries to give Jaemin a reassuring smile, but it turns out to look more like a grimace.

“We can still talk, right? I can come visit you.”

“Sure,” Jeno agrees and then thinks that that’s exactly what Renjun, Mark and all his other friends had said when they had moved away. The only one who kept his promise is Renjun.

“You don’t sound convinced,” Jaemin comments, face crestfallen.

“You’re just not the first person to say this,” Jeno replies eventually.

“Jeno,” he murmurs, looking him straight in the eyes, “We can make this work.”

“Just promise me you won’t forget about this,” Jeno says quickly, looking at the wall in front of him, anywhere but Jaemin. “Even if it’s just a few weeks, don’t forget about it.”

“Jeno,” Jaemin says quietly, reaching for his hand to hold it again. “I could never forget about this.”

Jeno smiles tightly and gives him a small nod. It feels like a breakup, he thinks when his lips meet Jaemin’s, though he isn’t sure you can break up when you never were together in the first place.

#

Jeno doesn’t know why, but he expected Jaemin to at least say goodbye.

They meet the night before Jaemin’s supposed to leave and it’s the first time their kisses turn desperate, filled with want and so many unsaid words. They don’t say goodbye though, so Jeno expects him to come in the next morning to get his last coffee.

He waits until ten and when the door finally opens, it’s not Jaemin but two men in their late twenties who look disgustingly in love with each other. Jeno grasps that it must be Jaemin’s manager and his stylist a few moments later.

His heart drops at the thought that Jaemin has sent them to deliver him a goodbye message or whatever else, but they don’t mention him at all, way too distracted by each other to even notice Jeno really.

Jaemin doesn’t show up later on though either and when Jeno can finally close the shop, he bikes to the hotel right away, but the lady at the front desk tells him that Jaemin left the night before.

Jeno keeps his friendly smile up until he’s walked out of the hotel, but then his face drops and he has to bite his lip to stop the tears from falling. A few still escape his eyes, he rubs them away angrily.

It already feels like everything was nothing more than a dream.

For a second he considers texting Jaemin to tell him how disappointed he is, but then he realises that although they talked about keeping in touch a few times, they never exchanged numbers after all. Jaemin always just found him, there wasn’t much need for texting.

He sits down in the slightly wet sand on the beach, close to where Jaemin kissed him for the first time. He doesn’t know for how long he stares at the waves, but it’s dark when he finally gets up again. The tears on his cheeks have dried.

He knew this would happen and he still went on that date with Jaemin. He ignored it, told himself he’d deal with it later and now he’s having to deal with it.

It’s okay. Jaemin left like everyone else, but it’s fine. He was silly enough to let his feelings take over and now he’ll be smart enough to act like nothing ever happened in the first place.

#

 

Jaemin shows up at the café exactly two weeks later. Jeno is about to lock the door and start cleaning up when he walks in.

He freezes when he sees him, all the indifference he’s tried to build up about the whole thing shattering in a second.

“Hi,” Jaemin says breathlessly after the door has fallen close behind him. He looks skinnier than he did two weeks ago, the circles under his eyes even more prominent.

Jeno doesn’t say anything, just watches him and wishes for him to leave again without another word. He was just starting to get over him.

“I’m so sorry,” Jaemin manages to get out eventually. “I don’t know how to explain.”

“I don’t know if I want you to,” Jeno says, anger barely concealed in his voice.

Jaemin nods understandingly, although his lips are wobbling. “Please still let me try? For your sake, not mine.”

“Okay.”

Jaemin lets out a shaky breath before sitting down at one of the tables, eyes still trained on Jeno.

“I guess you remember the phone call you overheard?” Jaemin begins.

Jeno nods curtly to signal he’s still listening.

“That was my father,” Jaemin explains, reaching for a straw to busy his hands. “He moved out over fifteen years ago, but-” he shrugs, “He keeps asking for money, you know?” He looks so helpless, so young and overwhelmed.

“He just randomly shows up at my mum’s or my sister’s flat and won’t leave unless-” Jaemin shrugs. “That’s why I had to leave that weekend after we went to the cinema together. He just takes and takes and he never stops.”

“He did the same thing again two weeks ago and my mum finally called the police, that’s why I left so suddenly. I know it’s not an excuse, but I had to be there for them.” He looks at Jeno, eyes filled with hope. Jeno isn’t sure what he’s hoping for.

“Okay,” he says firmly. “Thank you for telling me.”

“I said I’d come back and visit you,” Jaemin says, sounding helpless. “I promised you I wouldn’t forget about you and I just want you to know that I never did and never will.”

Jeno’s heart hurts a little more hearing that. Jaemin left, but now he’s back, not like everyone else who had promised him the same thing and didn’t keep the promise. He doesn’t know how to feel about that.

“What happened with your dad?” he asks. “Did you figure out a solution?”

“We got a lawyer involved,” Jaemin explains, seemingly just glad Jeno hasn’t kicked him out yet. “He can’t come close to us again now.”

“Good,” Jeno says, relieved that there’s one less thing for Jaemin to worry about.

“Jeno, I’m so sorry, I wanted to come back sooner, I wanted to contact you, but everything was so stressful.”

“It’s okay,” Jeno hears himself mumble.

“What?” Jaemin asks, finally looking up again, searching for Jeno’s eyes.

“I accept your apology, it’s okay,” Jeno repeats and this time he can’t just blame it on his brain short-circuiting, he realises that he _wants_ to forgive Jaemin, _wants_ to give him another chance.

“You do?” Jaemin asks, getting up and walking towards him.

“Yeah,” Jeno says quietly, when Jaemin is standing in front of him. “Please never run away again,” he adds even quieter, but Jaemin still hears it, pulling him into a tight hug.

“I promise you, I’m so sorry,” he sniffles into Jeno’s neck.

Jeno pulls him closer and just holds him, realising that Jaemin was right. Giving people a chance might set you up for disappointment, but every once in a while there’s someone who’ll surprise you.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so glad I can finally reveal that I wrote this! Thank you so much for reading, leaving kudos and feedback, it made me so happy!
> 
> If you wanna talk about this or any of my other fics, I'd be the happiest person. I hope you have a great day!
> 
> my twitter: [x](https://twitter.com/rensungist)  
> my cc: [x](https://curiouscat.me/rensungist)


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